Ditch check



Nov. 4, 194i. H. W. CLARK 2,261,715

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Patented Nov. 4, 1941 UNHTE STATES BITCH CHECK Hal W. Clark, Ottumwa, Culvert Company, Ot

tion of Iowa Iowa, assigner to Central tumwa, Iowa, a corpora- Application llilly 1, 1939, Serial No. 282,373

(Cl. (i1-35) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvement in construction of devices for prevention of soil erosion.

The object of my invention is to provide improved means for the prevention of soil erosion of simple and inexpensive construction which may be easily and quickly applied to gulleys or ditches in such a manner as to prevent erosion of soil and at the same time permit tilling of the soil or permit it to be used as pasture.

More specifically, it is the object of my invention to provide a device formed of galvanized and corrugated sheet metal having a substantially horizontal body portion and anges formed thereon for entering and anchoring the body portion to the ground in such a manner that the flanges may be driven into the ground surface by means of a suitable hammer or maul without excessive labor on the part of the operator.

A further object of my invention is to provide a sheet metal construction in which upwardly projecting and sharp edges are entirely eliminated so that stock travelling over the ground surface on which the check is mounted will not become injured by stepping on the check.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my cla'nns, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of my improved device for preventing the erosion of soil;

Figure 2 is a back elevation of the saine;

Figure 3 is a sectional view showing the manner in which my improved device is applied to prevent erosion of a hillside;

Figure 4 is a detail sectional manner in which a plurality of the devices may be utilized to form a dam.

My improved device comprises a body I formed of a rectangular sheet of corrugated sheet metal, the corrugations being preferably arranged transversely of the sheet, one edge of the body I0 having a flange portion II bent downwardly therefrom, the opposite edge being provided with a downwardly extending flange I2 of less height than the flange I I. The devices thus formed may be driven into the ground surface in the manner illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, and then the device placed transversely of a ditch I3, illustrated in Figure 2, the longer flange I I being placed on the downhill side of the inclination. The flanges are then driven into the ground surface until the horizontal body portion I0 engages the upper surface. Another unit of the device may be placed transversely of the ditch and spaced apart such distances that the lower edge of the flange II of said unit will be substantially level with the lower edge of the ange I2 of the lower one of the devices so that at no time will the lower edge of the ange I l become undermined by the a0- view showing the tion of water travelling over the top of the upper body portions I0 to a lower one downstream. By this arrangement it will be seen that no upwardly extending edges of the flanges are exposed to produce a hazard by means of which stock may become injured. f

In Figure 4 I have illustrated the manner in which the devices may be mounted to form a dam wherein the flanges I2 of the lower device are bolted to the lower edge of the ange II of the upper device by means of bolts I4 extending through openings I6 formed in the flange I2 and openings I 6 formed in the flange Il. By this arrangement it will be seen that water may descend over the tops of the body portions from one to the other toprevent washing out of the soil.

The length of the check may be. simply adding sections end to end.

Thus it will be seen I have provided a soil check of simple, durable and inexpensive construction which may be formed of corrugated sheet metal with the anges bent on lines transversely of the corrugation, which greatly stiiens the iiange relative to the body. The short ange I 2 prevents water entering beneath the body portion II) and above the ground surface. By providing a ange on each edge of the body I0 the y body is also greatly stifiened.

I claim as my invention:

1. A ditch check, comprising a horizontal and rectangular sheet metal body provided with transverse corrugations, both of the vside edges of said body being bent downwardly to form flanges adapted to be driven in the ground to form an anchor for 2. A ditch check, comprising a rectangular plate corrugated transversely of one of its edges, one edge of said plate being bent downwardly and longitudinally to form a front flange, the opposite edge of said plate being also bent downf wardly to form a back flange of less height than the front flange, said flanges being. adapted to be driven into the ground with the check arranged transversely of a ditch, the plate supporting the anges being substantially horizontal.

3. A plurality of sections, each comprising a horizontal sheet metal plate having its side edges bent downwardly to form flanges of different heights adapted to be driven inA the ground surface to anchor the sections against movement, the highest one of the flanges being supported on the down side of a stream, said sections being secured one to another in stair fashion with the shorter ange of one section adjacent to the higher ange of the other section, to form a dam, and means for securing the adjacent flanges together.

HAL W. CLARK.

increased by l 

